The present invention relates to a paper feeder and more particularly to a paper feeder capable of accurately feeding various kinds of papers including mails of regular and irregular sizes one by one.
Generally, a paper feeder for feeding papers one by one includes a two-paper separating mechanism. Usually, the two-paper separating mechanism is constructed such that when a one-paper pickup mechanism located upstream of the two-paper separating mechanism fails to separate mails of regular size, the two-paper separating mechanism separates the mails delivered thereto in an overlapping condition. This kind of paper feeder is taught in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1-236154. Specifically, the two-paper separating mechanism includes two suction mechanisms facing each other with the intermediary of a transport path. Two branch transport paths extend from the downstream end of the suction mechanisms in the direction of mail transport. Sensors are located on the branch transport paths, and each senses a mail being conveyed along the associated transport path. When two mails are respectively conveyed along the two branch transport paths, one of them is collected in a box.
However, to separate two papers by suction, the clearance between each suction mechanism and a mail must be small enough for suction to sufficiently act on the mails e.g., 5 mm or so. Such a clearance does not allow thick mails to pass therethrough because the suction mechanisms are fixed in place.
Further, mails separated and collected in the box must be fed and separated all over again. In addition, if an adhesive mail is conveyed for one reason or another, two mails cannot be separated from each other indefinitely.
Technologies relating to the present invention are also disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 62-59637, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 1-261130, 8133494 and 10-194491, and Japanese Patent No. 2,604,382.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a paper feeder capable of surely feeding various kinds of papers without regard to their size, which may be regular or irregular.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a paper feeder with an enhanced processing ability that does not discharge separates papers to the outside.
A paper feeder of the present invention includes a conveyor for conveying a single paper fed from the upstream side to the downstream side along a transport path while sucking the paper. A suction mechanism faces the conveyor for holding another paper fed together with the above paper by suction. A moving device moves the suction mechanism in a direction perpendicular to a direction of paper conveyance.